Writing Tips of James A. Michener

I picked up a book on writing at the library called "James A. Michener's Writer's Handbook" and have been reading through it. One of my favorite bits of advice he gives is on writing. He says that he follows two rules: "Search for the right name till you find it. And write as if you knew everything in the world."

Those are rules that I think every writer could benefit from learning and learning well. Names make the character. Who could imagine Tom Sawyer's best friend being named Leroy Finn? Leroy just don't have the same free spirit sound to it for me as Huckleberry has. How about if Scarlet O'Hara was named Rose Alistair? To me names are something that makes a character's actions and personality fit them.

And writing as if you knew everything? Well, that's simple mathematics of not stopping to check the almanac to make sure that you have something right. Assume it's right and keep right on moving with the story. You can fix it all later. That's why we have revisions. And trust me, as writers, we have plenty of revisions. There is no need to get it right the first time through the novel.